Practice-putting device



March 31,1931. E. M. BYERS 1,798,140

PRACTICE PUTTING DEVICE Filed May 20, 1929 Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNI-TED STATES I EUGENE M. BYERS, F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN PRACTICE-PUTTING DEVICE Application filed. May 20, 1929.

My invention relates to an improvement in practice putting devices The object of my invention is to provide a device whereby practice of putting in golf is made possible indoors, or in places Where a regulation golf cup and green are not available, and to provide a device which most nearly simulates the standard conditions upon a green. 8

Another object of my invention is to provide a practice putting device wherein provision is not only made for returning both a successfully and an unsuccessfully putted ball, but in which an audible registry is made of a successfully putted ball.

A. further object of my invention is to provide a device for this general purpose wherein a device for assisting in the return of a successfully putted ball is combined with a device for the audible indication of a successful putt.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a removable mechanism for audible indication of a successful putt so that this portion of my device may be dispensed with in accordance with the wishes of a user.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective of my putting device.

Fig; 2 is a vertical section taken on a line offset somewhat from the middle of my dev1ce.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 2.

My putting device includes two major portions, made of some light, stifi sheet material, preferably metal, each of which portions is provided with a sloping floor which is provided to give a putted golf ball an impetus to return to the person practicing. One of the major portions is indicated at 10 and includes an obliquely sloped backboard 11 and a backstop 12. If desired this backboard may be covered with felt to make the use of my device more quiet.

The other main portion of my putting unit comprises a recess or box-like structure 13 which houses the mechanism hereinafter to be described and also supports the backboard at the proper angle as indicated in Fig. 2.

In the broad face of the backboard 11 and 'tive thrust When the ball strikes the spring Serial No. 364,454.

thickness of a fairly thin gauge metal sheet and will be found to cause no material defiectio n of the ball from any reasonable angle. If the putt is successful the'ball will be urged on by its momentum into the box 13 where I have provided two tensile springs 17 and 18 which extend across the box, spaced from each other, and at a height such that a golf ball willstrike first the lower spring 18 and then, if the momentum of the ball has not been expended, strike the upper spring 17.

It will be noted that thespring 17 is advanced slightly forwardly from spring 18. This provides a condition of extreme sensitiveness to the clapper which rests against the lower spring. 1

Likewise a shield 19 of fabric surrounding the springs 17 and 18 is provided to prevent an excessively speeded ball from forcing its way between the springs into the trap at the rear 7 of the recess, and also deadens any audible vibration of the spring.

Suspended from the top 20 of the box 1 3 I provide a bell 21 and a clapper 22 which provide an audible announcement of a successful putt.v I have found that the arrangement as shown in Fig. 2 is most conduciveto the best results and that y it is most satisfactory to mount the bell comparatively loosely upon its supporting means and to install the clapper 22 outside the confines of the bell. This construction also permits the removal of the bellringing assembly leaving the device to be used without it if the user so desires.

It will be noted that the clapper is in contact with the sheathed spring 18 and since this spring is the first to receive'con tact from the ball 15 the clapper will be given a posiand the bell will receive immediate impact from the clapper.

As stated above, the floor of the backboard 11 is supported at an acute angle by the box 18. The floor 23 of the box 13 is likewise supported at an angle and the tendency of a putted ball is to return under the. force of gravity to the person using my device. The springs 17 and 18 assist in the return of a successful putt. It will be noticed that the golf ball enters the recess simulating a standard sized cup, at floor level, and in that respect is a close approximation to standard putting conditions.

My device therefore is markedly useful in returning both successful and unsuccessful putts without impairing its accurate simulation of actual putting conditions.

Attention is called to the fact that a single piece of felt or other deadening material may be cut to provide and fit the aperture 14 and that portion 24 cut to fit the sides of the box 13 is indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

I claim:

1. The combination with an apertured backboard of a floor sloping downwardly toward the backboard and a spring supported above the floor.

2. The combination with a sloping backboard terminating in a forwardly extending lip, of a cage opening from the backboard,

and a sloping floor for the cage merging forwardly with the lip of the backboard.

3. The combination with a sloping back- 1 board, of a cage opening from the backboard, a forwardly sloping 'fioor for the cage, a spring supported transversely above the floor, and a second spring supported in spaced relation to the first mentioned spring.

4. The combination with a sloping backboard, of a cage opening from the backboard, a forwardly sloping floor for the cage, a spring supported transversely above the floor, a second spring supported in spaced relation to the, first mentioned spring, and a sheath encompassingthe two springs.

5. The combination with a forwardly sloping apertured backboard of a cage in supporting relation to the backboard and. in

registry with the aperture in the backboard,

resilient means for returning an object forcibly entering thecage through the aperture, and an audible signal responsive to movement of the resilient means.

6. In a device of the character described, I

the combination with a ball receiving runway, of resilient means for ejecting the ball from the runway, a secondary resilient means positioned above and forwardly spaced from the first mentioned resilient means whereby to restrain a ball against upward rebound from the first mentioned means.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with a ball receiving'runway of resilient means for ejecting the ball from the runway, a secondary resilient means positioned above and forwardly spaced from the first mentioned resilient means whereby to restrain a ball against upward rebound from the first mentioned means, and a clapper resting against the first mentioned resilient means whereby to cause audible indication of contact of a ball with the resilient means. y

8. The combination with a sloping backboard of a cage opening from the backboard, a forwardly sloping floor for the cage, a spring supported transversely above the floor, a manually removable top for the cage and a signal supported by said top and re sponsive to movements of the s ring.

EUGENE BYERS. 

